


Learn to Be Lonely

by unknowableroom_archivist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: One Shot, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-04-09
Updated: 2007-04-09
Packaged: 2019-01-19 23:17:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12420291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unknowableroom_archivist/pseuds/unknowableroom_archivist
Summary: The night James and Lily die, Lily is watching over her little boy wondering what he'll be like when he grows up. But a night of peaceful contemplation won't last long. One-shot COMPLETE





	Learn to Be Lonely

**Author's Note:**

> Note from ChristyCorr, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Unknowable Room](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Unknowable_Room), a Harry Potter archive active from 2005-2016. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after May 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Unknowable Room collection profile](http://www.archiveofourown.org/collections/unknowableroom).

Learn To Be Lonely

It was late one Halloween night. If you had stepped outside, the sky would have been crystal clear, the stars shining down on the little village of Godric's Hollow almost as if they were happy. In this little place of Godric's Hollow, there was a cottage. A cozy, two-story, white cottage. A small fence went around the front yard, a little brick path lead up to the doorway. Looking at it, one would see nothing unusual. One would never expect that inside that cottage were two very powerful wizards and their child.

James, Lily, and Harry Potter lived in this little home. James and Lily were young parents, in love with each other and incredibly proud of their little son. James was a tall, dark-haired man who wore glasses. He was sitting in their den watching something he had heard called "tea-vee". As a Wizard, he knew little about the Muggle world. He had only lived in Godric's Hollow for a short while and was still learning many things about it. Dumbledore had suggested that he get used to Muggle objects and not use magic so that he would not attract too much attention to their home.

You see, James and Lily were hiding. Hiding from the evil known as Lord Voldemort. They feared for their lives, especially for their one-year old-son, Harry. Dumbledore had warned them that Voldemort was on their track, and the safest thing for them to do was to go into hiding. It had been hard for the two of them. Leaving behind friends such as Sirius Black, little Harry's Godfather and their other best friends, Peter Pettigrew and Remus Lupin. Neither knew when it would be safe to visit their friends again.

Lily was upstairs with her boy. He was asleep in his bed. She was watching him; she loved doing that, just looking down at that little boy who looked so much like his father. Except for the eyes: he had her green eyes. 

A radio was playing in the background. Something Lily had missed in the Wizarding world was the radio. Not that Wizards didn't have something similar, but she liked what she found on Muggle radio a lot more. The words to a song drifted in; she listened to them and thought about Harry. 

_Child of the wilderness_ _Born into emptiness Learn to be lonely Learn to find your way in darkness Who will be there for you Comfort and care for you Learn to be lonely_

Harry hadn't been born into emptiness, but would he grow up in emptiness living secluded in this Muggle town with only his parents? Who would be there for Harry? Would he have friends? She didn't even know if he would be able to go to Hogwarts, the Wizarding School she and James had attended. When she asked Dumbledore, he hadn't seemed sure. Yes, eleven years was a long time, and Voldemort could be defeated by then, but something in Dumbledore's voice . . . James told her not to worry, that he was sure Harry would have a normal life, but still Lily doubted.

_Learn to be your one companion Ever dreamed out in the world There are arms to hold you? You've always known Your heart was on its own So laugh in your loneliness Child of the wilderness Learn to be lonely_

He would have to learn to play by himself, at least for a little while. It was too dangerous for them to even venture into the Muggle world. To take Harry out to a playground was unthinkable. And love, would he ever find love? Lily leaned over his crib and brushed his hair way from his little face. No, she would not worry, she would not be afraid of his loneliness. It is possible to live alone and to be loved. 

As she stood over him, a cry sounded from downstairs. She jumped, what was going on? James voice, "Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off!" She grabbed her wand from the table and went to the door. She heard laughter, an evil, malicious laughter. How had he found them? Only Peter knew . . . Peter! He couldn't. . . could he? But she hardly had time to think more when she heard through the door the killing spell. Lily screamed. Not James! Her beloved James! She turned to look at Harry, beginning to wake up from the noise. He looked at her so trusting. Lily tried smiling at him. Then the nursery door burst open.

There he stood, the Dark Lord, wand in hand, his eyes red as blood, his pale face with an evil grin on it. Lily shivered, but stood her ground. 

"Not Harry! Not Harry! Please, I'll do anything!" Tears streamed down her face. James was gone, and now Voldemort was here to kill Harry. He would not have him, not without a fight.

"Stand aside. Stand aside, girl!" He spoke in a cold voice, his red eyes looking from Lily to Harry in the crib behind her. 

"No, please, not Harry!" She sobbed again. He couldn't kill her child, she wouldn't let him. Let him have her, just spare Harry. But he did not listen to her, he grabbed her and pushed her out of the way. Aiming his wand, he spoke those words,

"Avada Kedavra!"

Lily hardly had time to think: she threw herself in front of the spell. A blinding green light flashed, and she fell, dead, to the floor. But in doing so, she unknowingly saved her little boy and placed on him the spell of sacrificial love. As Voldemort turned to cast the spell on the little boy in the cradle, the world changed for ever, as did little Harry Potter's life.

_Learn how to love life that is lived alone Learn to be lonely life can be lived life can be loved Alone._

Harry was going to live the next ten years of his life alone. But he learned it can be done; maybe he didn't love it, but he survived. Survived without knowing what his mother had done for him, not knowing his name was on the lips of wizards everywhere. The boy who lived, all because of a mother's love.

 

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The song Lyrics are from 'Phantom of the Opera' the recent film version and do not belong to me! I feel terrible about forgetting to credit! Thanks so much for reminding me! 


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